Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Chronic Skin Conditions
Number of Conditions: 4
Pressure ulcers (bedsores)
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Skin Disorders
Sub-category: Chronic Skin Conditions
Symptoms:
pain at pressure points; redness or discoloration of skin; blisters or open sores; swelling; tissue necrosis
Root Cause:
Damage to the skin and underlying tissue due to prolonged pressure on the skin, often over bony areas such as heels, hips, or tailbone.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is typically made through visual inspection of the affected area and staging of the ulcer (from stage 1 to stage 4, based on severity).
Treatment:
Relieving pressure from the affected area, proper wound care, maintaining hygiene, ensuring adequate nutrition, and using specialized mattresses or cushions.
Medications:
Pain relievers (NSAIDs like ibuprofen ), topical antibiotics (e.g., silver sulfadiazine ), and sometimes systemic antibiotics for infection control. Medications are classified as analgesics (pain relief), antibiotics (for infection), and topical agents (for wound care).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 2-3 million people in the United States annually, with the elderly and those with limited mobility being at highest risk.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Immobility, poor nutrition, dehydration, advanced age, incontinence, and underlying health conditions like diabetes or vascular diseases.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
The prognosis depends on severity; minor cases may heal with proper care, while severe cases may lead to chronic wounds and complications like infection or sepsis.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Infection, cellulitis, sepsis, osteomyelitis, and complications related to prolonged immobility, such as deep vein thrombosis.
Venous stasis dermatitis
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Skin Disorders
Sub-category: Chronic Skin Conditions
Symptoms:
itching; swelling; redness; discoloration (brownish skin); dry, flaky skin; leg ulcers
Root Cause:
Poor circulation in the lower legs, typically due to venous insufficiency, which causes blood to pool and leads to skin inflammation.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is clinical, based on symptoms and patient history. Duplex ultrasound may be used to assess venous insufficiency.
Treatment:
Compression therapy, elevation of legs, proper skin care, and topical corticosteroids. In severe cases, surgical interventions to correct venous insufficiency may be necessary.
Medications:
Topical corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone ), oral diuretics (e.g., furosemide ) for edema control, and venotonics (e.g., diosmin) to improve venous tone. Medications are classified as anti-inflammatory agents (for inflammation), diuretics (to reduce fluid retention), and venotropics (to improve blood flow).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects up to 3 million individuals in the U.S., particularly those with chronic venous insufficiency.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Obesity, prolonged standing, advanced age, history of deep vein thrombosis, and varicose veins.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
The condition is manageable with treatment but can lead to chronic leg ulcers if not controlled.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Leg ulcers, secondary bacterial infections, and persistent skin discoloration.
Seborrheic dermatitis
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Skin Disorders
Sub-category: Chronic Skin Conditions
Symptoms:
itchy scalp; flaky, scaly skin; red patches; greasy or oily appearance; dandruff
Root Cause:
Overgrowth of yeast (Malassezia) on the skin in areas with abundant sebaceous (oil) glands, leading to skin inflammation and scaling.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is clinical, based on skin appearance, location of lesions, and patient history. Skin scraping or biopsy may be performed to rule out other conditions.
Treatment:
Medicated shampoos (containing ketoconazole, selenium sulfide), topical corticosteroids, and antifungal creams or lotions.
Medications:
Topical antifungals (e.g., ketoconazole ), topical corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone ), and medicated shampoos. Medications are classified as antifungals (to control yeast growth) and anti-inflammatory agents (to reduce inflammation).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 1-3% of the general population, with a higher prevalence in individuals over 40 years old.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic predisposition, oily skin, immune system deficiencies, and neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Typically chronic and relapsing, but manageable with proper treatment.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Secondary bacterial infections, especially if the skin becomes damaged from scratching or inflammation.
Pruritus (itching, often due to dry skin)
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Skin Disorders
Sub-category: Chronic Skin Conditions
Symptoms:
intense itching; dry, flaky skin; redness; cracked skin
Root Cause:
Dry skin (xerosis) leads to itching due to reduced moisture content in the skin, which can be exacerbated by environmental factors or underlying medical conditions.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical diagnosis based on symptoms and patient history. Skin biopsy may be performed if the cause of itching is unclear.
Treatment:
Moisturizing lotions, topical corticosteroids for inflammation, avoiding triggers (e.g., hot water, harsh soaps), and antihistamines for relief.
Medications:
Topical corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone ) for inflammation, antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine ) for itching relief, and emollients (e.g., petroleum jelly). Medications are classified as anti-inflammatory agents (to reduce inflammation), antihistamines (for itching), and emollients (to hydrate the skin).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 10-20% of the general population, with higher incidence in older adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age, cold weather, dehydration, certain medications, and skin conditions like eczema.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Typically manageable with proper skin care, but may persist or worsen in the elderly.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Skin infections due to scratching, thickening of the skin (lichenification), and secondary bacterial infections.